Intimacy and Mindfulness Post-Prostate Cancer Treatment

Vancouver Prostate Centre28 enrolled

Overview

With improvements in detection and treatment of prostate cancer (PCa), more men than ever are living with side effects from PCa treatment; most distressingly, treatment side effects include problems with sexual functioning (e.g. erectile dysfunction, climacturia, inorgasmia). This study aims to develop a mindfulness-based group treatment for couples with sexual functioning complaints post-PCa treatment. Couples will be invited to a four-session mindfulness-based treatment group. Pre- and post-treatment outcomes (e.g., distress, sexual functioning/enjoyment, relationship satisfaction, treatment adherence) will assess feasibility and effectiveness of this novel treatment for couple's sexual lives after PCa.

This is an intervention study designed to assess a novel mindfulness-based treatment protocol for couples dealing with sexual dysfunction secondary to prostate cancer treatment. Couples will be invited to participate through the Vancouver Prostate Centre (VPC) and the Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care (PCSC) Program. Interested couples will be screened for eligibility. Eligible couples will be randomized to either an immediate-start or a delayed-waitlist control group. Prior to treatment, couples will complete an online questionnaire package. Treatment will consist of a 4-week mindfulness-based group lead by a clinician trained in mindfulness treatment. Sessions are 2hrs in length and take place in consecutive weeks, with daily homework recommended between sessions. The intervention was developed based on pre-existing mindfulness-based cognitive therapy treatment groups for sexual dysfunction developed by Dr. Lori Brotto at the UBC Sexual Health Laboratory, mindfulness in sex therapy and intimate relationships (MSIR) treatment group developed by Kocsis and Newbury-Helps (2016), and expert input. Sessions consist of mindfulness-based training, sex therapy techniques, and education. After treatment, couples will be invited to complete a post-treatment questionnaire once immediately after the end of treatment, and again 6 months later.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

Interventions

Mindfulness-based Therapy Group for CouplesOTHER

Eligible couples will take part in a 4-session mindfulness-based therapy group for couples. The groups will last 2 hours in length, for a total of 8 hours of treatment time, and sessions will be scheduled once per week in successive weeks. The groups will have one highly experienced female facilitator, who is the Study Coordinator. The facilitator led the design of the treatment manual, and has experience in facilitating similar groups. The facilitator will follow a detailed, empirically-informed mindfulness-based treatment manual that was designed for the purpose of this study. All groups will take place in a private group treatment room at Vancouver General Hospital.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 19 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Currently in a relationship that has lasted longer than 1 year * Both members of the couple are at least 19 years of age or older * Both members of the couple are able to speak and read English (to date, all of the treatment material is delivered in English) * (At least) one member of the couple has a history of prostate cancer diagnosis * The same member of the couple underwent radical prostatectomy for the treatment of his prostate cancer * Both members of the couple are willing and able to comply with all study procedures (including committing to daily homework over the 4-week period of the treatment program) and be available for the duration of the study * Both members of the couple provide signed and dated informed consent form Exclusion Criteria: * The individual who was treated with prostate cancer received androgen deprivation therapy or radiation therapy to treat their prostate cancer. * Have a current health condition (e.g., severe cardiovascular health problems, unmanaged diabetes mellitus), physical disabilities, or mental health issues (e.g., severe anxiety, depression) that would interfere with self- or partnered-sexual activities, or the individual's ability to attend group sessions or complete home assignments

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Sexual correlates: Self-reported sexual functioning

Depending on sexual orientation and gender, individuals will complete either (1) International Index of Erectile Functioning (heterosexual men), International Index of Erectile Functioning for Men who have sex with men (gay men), or Female Sexual Functioning Index (female partners)

Time frame: Change from baseline to post-intervention (5 weeks)

Sexual correlates: Self-reported erectile functioning

Time frame: Change from post-intervention (5 weeks) to 6-month follow up

Sexual correlates: GMSEX

GMSEX (Lawrance \& Byers, 1992). The GMSEX is a 5-item measure of distress related to sexual functioning with one's partner.

Time frame: Change from baseline to post-intervention (5 weeks)

Sexual correlates: GMSEX

GMSEX (Lawrance \& Byers, 1992). The GMSEX is a 5-item measure of distress related to sexual functioning with one's partner.

Time frame: Change from post-intervention (5 weeks) to 6-month follow up

Sexual correlates: Sexual activity scale

This is a questionnaire developed by the study lead that asks individual to rate the frequency of times that they engaged in a range of sexual activities over 3 time-periods: (a) ever, (b) since their/their partner's prostate cancer surgery, and (c) in the past 4 weeks.

Time frame: Change from baseline to post-intervention (5 weeks)

Sexual correlates: Sexual activity scale

Time frame: Change from post-intervention (5 weeks) to 6-month follow up

Sexual correlates: Adapted dyadic adjustment scale

Adapted dyadic adjustment scale (A-DAS; Sharpley \& Cross, 1982). The A-DAS is a validated, 7-item measure that assesses relationship adjustment.

Time frame: Change from baseline to post-intervention (5 weeks)

Sexual correlates: Adapted dyadic adjustment scale

Adapted dyadic adjustment scale (A-DAS; Sharpley \& Cross, 1982). The A-DAS is a validated, 7-item measure that assesses relationship adjustment.

Time frame: Change from post-intervention (5 weeks) to 6-month follow up

Secondary Outcomes

mental and health-related quality of life indices: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; Zigmond \& Snaith, 1983). The HADS is a validated, 14-item measure of depression and anxiety..

Time frame: Change from baseline to post-intervention (5 weeks)

mental and health-related quality of life indices: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; Zigmond \& Snaith, 1983). The HADS is a validated, 14-item measure of depression and anxiety..

Time frame: Change from post-intervention (5 weeks) to 6-month follow up

mental and health-related quality of life indices: UCLA Prostate Cancer Index

UCLA Prostate Cancer Index (Litwin, Hays, Fink, Ganz, Leake, \& Brook, 1998). This is a 20-item measure that assesses health-related quality of life indices specific to common side effects of prostate cancer treatment.

Time frame: Change from baseline to post-intervention (5 weeks)

mental and health-related quality of life indices: UCLA Prostate Cancer Index

Time frame: Change from post-intervention (5 weeks) to 6-month follow up

Intimacy and Mindfulness Post-Prostate Cancer Treatment

Overview

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes